How to Make the Most of Your Small Bedroom

Anyone who has ever lived in a major city has probably had their share of small-bedroom woes. (Why is it that the room expected to hold the largest piece of furniture is often one of the tiniest?) It may seem like your options are confined to squeezing in a bed and—if you’re lucky—a nightstand, but there are ways to pack plenty of style into your limited space. Also, don't overlook the benefits. “I actually prefer smaller bedrooms to larger ones,” says Portland, Oregon, designer Max Humphrey, whose own bedroom is on the small side. “They’re cozier and you don’t have to waste money furnishing a room with a seating area no one will ever use.” If you’re ready to embrace your small bedroom, check out Humphrey’s tips for making the most of it.

1. Keep the Layout Simple

There isn’t a magic trick to the layout of the small bedroom. “There’s usually an obvious main wall to put the bed, and I don’t like to get too clever as far as placement—like floating the bed frame in the middle of the room or at an angle in the corner,” says Humphrey. The designer also suggests placing the bed in the center of the main wall, rather than pushing one side up against the adjacent wall. “Having room to walk on either side is key not only for room flow but also to give you space to make your bed, if you’re into that sorta thing,” he says.

Humphrey centered the bed in this space, leaving room to walk on either side.

Photo: Sarah Dorio for Max Humphrey Interior Design

2. Don’t Be Afraid to Go Dark...

You’re not limited to whites or neutrals when it comes to the wall color of a small bedroom. “I don’t buy into that whole ‘Never paint a small room a dark color’ design dogma,” says Humphrey. “I say embrace the size and moodiness of a small room and even play into it. Painting a room a charcoal gray or navy blue or olive green can be chic and sexy.”

3. But Bring in Plenty of Light

Whether you go for a moody hue or stick to a crisp pale shade, adding plenty of light sources is key to keeping the room from feeling dark and claustrophobic. “Decorative overhead lighting like a pendant or chandelier (instead of ceiling cans), bedside table lamps, a floor lamp, and even reading sconces will add to the ambience,” he says. “Like Andy Warhol said, 'I believe in low lights and trick mirrors.'"

4. Choose Accents That Add Color

"I know people think it’s calming and minimalism is all the rage now, but I don’t think I could sleep in an all-white room," says Humphrey. "I generally like cooler colors in a bedroom, though—blues and grays as opposed to warm tones. Black and white always works and can be a good foundation (like in a patterned area rug) to layer in some color. I think everyone would be a little happier if they had some pops of color in their bedrooms."

Colorful artwork brightens up a bedroom designed by Humphrey.

Photo: Sarah Dorio for Max Humphrey Interior Design

5. Ditch the Shrunken Nightstands

A smaller space doesn’t mean smaller furniture. “One of my pet peeves is miniature bedside tables. Especially next to a larger bed frame and mattress—tiny nightstands can look so dorky,” says Humphrey, who advises his clients to buy normal-size furnishings for small spaces. “It can actually make a small room look bigger and will be more useful and functional,” he adds. Humphrey also picks pieces that can do double duty and makes room for essential pieces. “In my own (small) bedroom I don’t have room for a dresser, so I have large nightstands with drawers that hold my clothes,” he says. “And even if it’s a tight fit, I always want at least a small chair in the corner (dining size can work in a pinch) or bench at the end of the bed as a catchall for clothes, pillows, or whatever garments get flung around before bed.”

Designer Alicia Murphy placed an Arne Jacobsen Egg chair in the corner of her Montauk bedroom.

6. Create the Illusion of Space

“Hanging drapery as close to the ceiling as possible is a design trick that actually works,” Humphrey says. “It’ll bring the eye up. While we’re at it, a good trick for picking curtains is to match the fabric to the wall color. It’s modern and can be nice in a smaller space, because your eye won’t be distracted by contrasting colors.”

Humphrey added height with gingham curtains in this bedroom.

Photo: Christopher Dibble for Max Humphrey Interior Design

7. Cut Out Clutter

All the square footage in the world won’t make a difference if it’s crowded with stuff. “Another trick that won’t cost you any money is to keep your room clean,” he says. “You can still accessorize like you would a larger room, but keeping out the unnecessary clutter is a no-brainer.”

A Manhattan bedroom by Suchi Reddy of Reddymade Design is furnished with the essentials.

Photo: Ball & Albanese

8. It’s Possible to Go Big

Humphrey advocates mixing it up when it comes to scale. “I also like to use the largest area rug that will fit,” he says. “A canopy bed can be a cool juxtaposition in a small room. It’s unexpected, and playing with scale (big bed, small room) can be a fun way to stick it to the design purists.”

Humphrey used a canopy bed to play with scale in this small bedroom.

Photo: Dusty Lu for Max Humphrey Interior Design

9. Bring the Outdoors In

Don’t forget to add some life to your space. “There’s no reason houseplants should be kept out of the bedroom—I’ve even used potted indoor trees in small rooms,” he says. “Having something vertical like a fig tree can bring the eye up. Plants can make a stuffy room feel fresh, too.”

In a Silicon Valley bedroom, interior designer Dan Fink added a touch of life to an otherwise quite neutral room with a potted ornamental cabbage.

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